Daylight solutions for extensions

We all know that being out in the sunshine boosts our mood, so have you considered how to let more sunlight into your extension so that you can get that feeling in your home?

Allowing more natural light to enter can dramatically improve an extended living area, making it feel more spacious, inviting, light and airy, even on a grey day. Rooflights and skylights for extensions are a great way to deliver extra light and maximise space without making major structural changes to your property, helping to improve the living area while adding value. And there are plenty of different styles and rooflight functions to ensure you find exactly the right product to suit your project: Scott Couldrey, Managing Director, talks us through the options.

Glass or polycarbonate

It can be a little intimidating to see the variety of rooflight styles on the market, but first it starts with a choice between a glass or polycarbonate rooflight.

Quick Tip!.. If the rooflight can be seen from the outside of the property, or if you’re looking to use it as a centre-piece inside the extension, then a glass rooflight is the best solution.

The ‘ultimate’ in glass rooflight structures is the roof lantern or pyramid skylight. They let huge amounts of daylight into a property and their clean, minimalist yet stunning design creates a fantastic focal point in an extension.

Function and style

Quick Tip!.. If you’d like to get extra light into a single storey extension where the roof also acts as the floor of a first-floor balcony or terrace, then flat walk-on glass skylights provide the perfect robust option. Stylish in their simplicity, they sit flush with the existing roof and come with anti-slip safety coatings.

Air or argon-filled

Things can get more complicated when you start looking at the thermal performance of a glass rooflight. As well as the style and size, glass rooflights come with a range of glazing options that have a U-value rating, which indicates how much the glass reduces heat loss. Quick Tip!.. For improved heat insulation, most units are double-glazed with the option of triple glazing. This glass can have air in the cavity between the glass panes, or argon, which acts as a more efficient thermal buffer and can save you money in the long-term by reducing energy bills.

Polycarbonate options

The alternative to glass is a polycarbonate rooflight. Hardwearing and durable, polycarbonate rooflights are very functional, thermally efficient and cost-effective. They are available in a wide range of shapes and sizes as well as different coatings and ventilation options.

Too much choice?

Although it might initially seem like there is too much choice, at Rooflights&Skylights they have years of experience and have worked on hundreds of extension projects, so they’re able to advise on the best and most cost-effective solution for you.

Supporting non-standard requirements

They can help source the most suitable solution for a project, and if the team can’t find the right product then through their bespoke support service a solution can be manufactured to your specification.

It can be tricky if you’ve got a non-standard space, but they can help overcome that challenge. Quick Tip!.. Don’t forget about necessary building regulations, so it’s a good idea to speak to an expert and make sure that you’ve got the best and most appropriate solution to improve the natural light in your home.

Rooflights & Skylights is the online store for The National Domelight Company: specialist suppliers of domelights, rooflights, skylights and smoke vents.

A family-run business, we’ve been helping customers improve their living space with natural light for over 35 years, and our UK-based sales team has more than 100 years of rooflight & skylight knowledge between them. With this knowledge and experience, you can be sure that we will offer the best advice and guidance to help you choose the right daylight solution.

Widest choice: As the UK’s leading supplier of rooflights & skylights, we’re able to supply any size, shape or material of unit, with any combination of upstands and accessories you may require – and all at the best trade prices!

No more waiting: We deliver a first-class service and our large warehouse and stocks mean that you won’t have to wait long for your order to arrive. We can deliver most stock units direct to home/site within 72 hours. Our FREE nationwide delivery service means your rooflight will be safely delivered at your convenience – just where and when you need it.

Best quality: Guaranteed industry leading quality and service in everything we do – and still at competitive prices.

Dedicated support:. Useful resources such as CAD drawings and datasheets are available upon request. Please don’t hesitate to call our Technical Support Team on 01276 450620 for practical advice and support, no matter what you need.